A method of operating a D.C. electric-arc furnace, said furnace having a bottom through which at least one bottom electrode is implanted, said bottom electrode including an elongated metal current-supply body, which is surrounded, in that part of it which passes through the bottom, by a casing of dense refractory substance including at least one annular shell ring coaxially surrounding said metal body and having an upper end flush with an upper surface of the bottom, comprising the steps of:
- placing an expendable annular part consisting of refractory material on said upper end of the shell ring and coaxially with said shell ring at the time of preparing a restarting of the furnace after a shutdown, said annular part extending upwards from the shell ring;
- placing a charge to be melted into the furnace upon said bottom, and
- restarting the furnace to melt said charge,
- the annular part being placed so that liquid metal resulting from the first melting of the charge comes into contact with the annular part instead of the upper end of the shell ring.